Electric signal system



Feb. 4, 1930. "r. H. THOMAS ELECTRIC SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed Sept. 8, 1927 w INVENTOR THOMAS H.THOMAS ATTORNEY T Patent ed Feb. 4, 1930 I enemas genome, I I v p 4 L HQUSEAIRBB-AKE C MQANY, OE'UWZQILMEBDING', rENnsYLvAnIA, "A coRronArIoN cles of a inggmeansassociatedtherewith which rendersione' sub 'ect' to current a;battery' 1, an englnemansswitch haying spaced contact arms tact-polnts 4,-

I I thertrain,

terminal to groundat 11. The switch arms or, PENNSYLVANIA 'nnnorn'io siennn SYSTEM Y 7 Application-tiled Se tember, 8,1927; 'seriarna zlazizw 1 v This invention ,relates' to signal systems, and morejparticularlyfltoan electric signal systemadapted for. use on" railway trains;

"An objectof myinvention is to fprovidean electric 'tra-in signal'system 'lo'yj the use of.

A which a trainman may signal the engineman' from any caroffa train and 'by'which the enginem'an cause his: reply signal :to be transmitted to the car station from'which the trainrnans'signal originated and:.-further by igtwhich the enginemanmay signal all of the car-stationsjonthe train." ,Another object of the invention is topro Vide an lectricl signalsyste n for railway 1 trains-in which each of a plurality of vehi- 4 i train isfpr'ovided with two electri cally fcontrolled signal indicatingv devices adapted to'hej'supplied With electric current from a source common to both, but each havo o'w n in On direction only andithe othrl, "60 current flow} ing in' the opposite 'directiomfthe directional flow of currentbeing directly controlled from 'another ehicle of the'train'; fThese and otherpbjects will appear in the" following more detailed description ofthe invention 5' z In the accompanying drawing 7 the single.

' 3; figure isa diagrammatic view of train sigr' m1 ys bo y n myi nve ni I According to in? invention; theloconiotiye or controller 'car 101": a railway trainv is pro-f. vided with asou rc'e of electric currentsuch as 2 and '3 and spaced con; i 5 and t6, and is'furt-her provided with a signal indicating device such" as an electrichuzzer'T if: .jfj v f E f I 4 The jcontactpoints' gandG are cOnnectedto I g roundat 8 and 9 res'pectively, whilezthegon- 1 V tactipoint'5fisconnected tOthetraifiWireLIQ which may extend throughout the lengthiof Onetern1i n2;1l of the buzzer 711's 5 connected totheltrailiiwire:10;end-i 3 theh and 3 areconne cted togthe positi'Ye' and nega tive terminals respectively .of'; the lo'attery ,1,

such arrns'heing movable by the engineman 9 to; positionsfin Whichthe'y will contact withl he v a casing 212- iThisHrierhber'QQ Whenmoved a engages ayieldin'gi 1 the contact points-4 and respectiiiely, to

nect the positive terminal of thehatteryto i ground '8' and the negative terminal oi the. v

battery to thetrain ;Wire 10' and also being movable to positions in Whichtheywillcontact'with the contact pointsii' and- 6 respec ma toconnect the positive terminal of the" battery tothe train Wire 10 and the negativel terminal to ground 9. These switch" arms are: normally out of contact with ether contact points l, 5 and 6 andareyieldabl'yheld such positions bysprings 1-2; I i

' Ea'ch car of he train may be provided-With tWo signal indicating devices'such as electric buzzers 13 and One terminaljofthe'buzzer 18, on each car,,is"c'onnectedto ground at I 15,: While=the other terminal is connected to the train Wire 10, there'being a rectifier16 interposedin. the vlatter connection for per-' mitting an electric current to flow Ionlyin the direction sits-indicated by the a'rroW'17. :One 5 terminal of the buzzer 14; on each car, is 'con-j f 1 nected with the train Wire -10,- there being a rectifier 18 interposed in, the connection for The other terminal of this buzzer Miscontains'a sliding 'contacit'member'QZ having an operatinglstein 23ada'pted as lee operated by a lever 2thavinlg ope ratingarn1s25 and 26, each arm having an operating cord 27 (ion--- there are'fulcrum pins 28 and29 ivhicha're so disposed that When the arm 25 is operated,

thelever 24 turns about thefulcru'na pin 28 andiwh'en the ar'n'ri 26 is operated the" lever 24s turns about the fulcrum pin 29,1ineith'e'r case theis'tem 23'is operated;

j Thecontaet'member QQ'=is prgviaea with contacts930Tand"31" and isnormally maintained time;.pesai snishdwa in the drawing, actlon 'ofas'prmg 82"mounted in the predetermined distance,'

stop member 33,Which is subject to-thepres j snre'of a spring In order to prevent rotapermitting an electric current to fiov'vionlyf in 75 o the direction asindica'tedfby the arrow 19,"-

s5 nested therewith. Mounted'on the casing,

tive movement of the contact member 22, a guide bushing having screw-threaded engagement with the casing 21, is provided with a pin 35'which engages in a groove formed in the contact member.

The contact 30 controls circuit wires connected to the terminal con-tact 20, and to a.

terminal contact 36, connected .to ground at 371. Thecontact 31 controlscircuit wires con.- nected to a terminal contact 38 connected to the train wire 10, and to a terminal contact 39 connected to the positive terminal of a battery 40 or other source of electric current which is located on each car.

In each car of the train, a jack may be provided, having spaced tines 41 and 42', the tine 41 being connected to the wire. leading from the terminal contact 36 to ground 37, andthe tine '42 being connected to the wire. leading from one terminal of the buzzer 14 to the terminal contact 20. To electrically connect these tines, a plug 43 may be employed, which, when inserted between them, causes the buzzer 14 to .be connectedto ground 37 The plug 43 is inserted between the tines of the jack on each. car of the train at which itlis desired to receive signals transmitted by the engineman.

Assuming the several parts of the invention to be 'in-th-eir normal positions as shown in the drawing, and the trainman desires to signal the engineman the trainman pulls the operating cord 27 until the contact member 22 engages thestop member 33, in which position, the contact 31 connects the contact terminals 38 and39, which permits current to flow from the positive terminal of the battery 40, through the train wire 10 and buzzer 7 Y to ground 11 and as the negative terminal of this battery is connected to ground at 44, a circuit is completed so that the buzzer 7 on the locomotive will operate. H 7

If the trainman desires to receive the enginemans reply signal at the car station from which he initiated his signal, he causes the contactmember 22m be moved to its second position in which the contact 30 connects the terminal contacts 20 and 36, thus connecting one terminal of the buzzer 14rto ground 37 When the contact member 22v is in this position the contact 31 will have been:

41 and 42. of the jack, thus tormingia-connection from one terminal of the buzzer 14 to ground: 37,th en releasing his pressure: on the,

1 operating cord 27,,permits the springsf33. and

34 to move the contact member; back again to its normal positionashown inthe draw1ng, .in which position none of the terminal contacts,

associated with the casing, will be connected together. The trainman may, if he so desires, insert plugs 43 in the jacks of any number of cars on which he desires the enginemans reply signal tobe sounded.

To reply to the trainmans signal, the engineman moves the switch arms 2 and 3 to positions in which they contact with the switch points 5 and 6, respectively, thus connecting the positive terminal of the battery 1, onthe locomotive, to the train wire 10 and-the negative terminal to ground 9, which permits current to flow from thebattery through the train wire 10 'andthrough the rectifier 18 in the direction of the arrow .19 and. through the buzzer 14'to ground 37, which current causes the buzzer to "operate. If the train man has plugs 43 inserted in the jacks of a plurality of cars, the buzzers '14 on all of these cars will operate.

If the engineman desires, he may cause his signal to be sounded on every car oft'he'trai'n, independentof the trainmans switch or the trainmans jack, and this is accomplished by the engineman moving the switch arms '2 and 3, toward the left, into contact with the switch points 4 and 5, respectively, which causes the positive terminal of the battery 1 to be connected to ground 8 and the negative termmal to the train Wire '10, which permits current from the batteryto flow through c ground 8 on the locomotive, and ground '14, on a carand through the buzzer 1 3 and through'the rectifier 16in the direction "as switch arms contact with the switch points 4 and 5, the direction of the flow of current from the battery 1 is reversed, *so that the buzzer 13 on each car of the train will operate,

the rectifier 18 on each car preventing the current flowing in this direction from. operating the buzzer 14.

When the engineman operates his switch to reply to the trainmans signal or when the enginemaninitiates a signal to sound on each car of the train, the buzzer 7, on the locomotive, being connectedto the train wire 10 and to ground 11, will also be caused to operate.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a train signal. system, the combination with a train wire, of a signal device oath e head vehicle of a train and. connected. to sa d tram wire and to ground, two signal of the carsfto 7 Having now described my invention, what 7 mally disconnected from said train wire'andf round, a source of current on each of the y devices on each of theother' vehicles of the train, one ofthe two devicesion each vehicle being permanently connected to ground, a switch device on each of the second men- 'tioned vehicles operative to connecteach of 1 the other of the two signaldevices to ground,

a source of current on the'head'vehicle nor:

other vehicles permanently, connected-to ground, a switch device on the head vehicle for controlling the directional flow of'current from the source of currenton the head 7 vehicle to said train wire, means lnterposed in the connection from one of the signal devices on each of thesecond' mentioned vehicles to said train wire-and adapted to permit fcurrentflowing in one direction to opsaid device when cut into circuit by the local erate said device, and means interposed in the connectlon fromthe; other signaldevice on each of the second mentioned vehicles to 1 said train wire and adapted to permit vcurrent flowingin the opposite direction to operate nation with a train wire, of a signal indicating device on-thehead' vehicle of a'train and permanently connected to said train wire one or the other of said signal devices.

' 5. In a train signal system, the combination I and to ground, two signal indicating devices on each of the other vehicles of the train perfmanently connected to said train wire,one

of the signal indicating devices on each of.

I the second mentioned vehicles being-permanal indicating devices to ground, a source of nently connected to ground, a switch device on each of the second mentioned vehicles operative to connect the other one of said sigcurrent :on thehead vehicle, a rectifier con nected to each of the signal devices on each I of the second mentioned vehicles, one of said rectifiers on each vehicle being non-resistant to current flowingin one "direction and the other being non-resistant to current flowing in the opposite direction, means on the head vehicle operative to control the directional fiowof current to thesignal devices on the second mentioned vehicles, a source of current on each of the second mentioned veh cles permanently connected to ground adapted to be connected in circuit with the signaldevice on the head vehicle by the operation of the switch on any of the second mentioned .vehicles to another position. o i

3. In a train signal system, the combination with a train wire, of two signal'devices on each vehicle of a train and connected to said train wire, one of said devices on each vehicle being; permanently connected to ground and the other being normally disconnected virom ground, aswitch on each of saidvehicles operativejto connect one of thelastf-men} signal de'vices'tosaid traingfwireg oneof therectlfie'fs being adapted" to resist an-electric cur-rent flowing in one direction and the other being adapted; to resist an electriccurrent flowing in the'opposite direction, a source of currenton another vehicle of the train norni'allydisconnected from said train wire and ground, and means on the last mentloned vehicle operative toconnect said sourceto' said tra'fiirwire and groundto controlthel direc .tlOl'l f ll flow of current from said source for operating said signal devices selectively.

, 4. In a train signalsystem,-the combination witlr'aftrain wire, of two signal devices on? each vehicle oifa train and connected'to said" I ,trainwire, oneiof s'aid devices oneachvehicle being-permanently connected to *ground and? the'other being normally disconnected from ground, a switch on; each of said-vehicles op-2 erativertoconnect one ofthela'st mentioned signal'fdevice s to ground, arectifier interposed other being adapted to resist an electric cure rent flowing from said train wire, a source of current on another vehicle of the train,:and

means operative to control the directional flow of current from said source for operating with a train wire, of two signal devices on each vehicle of a train and connected to said train wire, oneof said devices on each vehicle being permanently connected to ground, manuallyoperative means on each vehicle for cut- .ting the other of said devices on 'the same vehicle into and out of circuit with ground, rec- 'tifiers interposed in the connections from the signal devices on .each'vehicle to said train wire, one of said rectifiers oneach vehiclebeing adapted to resist an electric current flowing in one direction and the other being adapt- I f ed to resist an electric'current flowing in the opposite direction,"a source of'current on the,

head vehicle of the train normally disconnected from said train wire and ground, aswitch on the head vehicle operative to one position to connect said source of current to said train wireand to ground to. direct a current inone direction to operate one set ofsaid signal devices, and operative to another position to connect said source of current to said train wire and ground to direct a current in the opposite direction to operate the other of said signal devices only when out into circuit.

6. In a train signal system, the combination with a train'wire, of two signaldevices on each vehlcle of a train and connected to said train w1re,'oneof said devlces on each vehicle 90a in the connection from eachof said signaldevices to said-train wire, one of the rectifiers on each vehicle being adapted to resist an elec I tric current flowing from ground and the my hand.

being perlnanently connected to ground, mane ually operative means on such Vehicle for cutting the other of said devicesinto andout of circuit with ground, rectifiersinterposedin v v the con11ect1ons,ffrom said slgnal devlces on each vehicle to said train Wire, one of said rectifiers on each vehicle being adapted to resist an electric current flowing in one direction and the other rectifier on each vehicle being adapted to resist an electric, current flowing in the opposite direction, a source of current on thchead vehicle of the train normally disconnected, from said train Wire and ground, a switch on the head vehicle operative to one position to connect the positive and negative terminals of the source of current to the train Wire and ground respectively to cause a current'to flow in one direction to operate one of said signal devices on any one of said vehicles only when out into circuit,

and operative to another position to reverse the poles of said sourceof current to cause a current to flow in the opposite direction to operate the other of said. signal devices.

In testimony'whereof I have hereunto set THOMAS H. THOMAS.

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